Having ridden the Ozark Trail FS.2 Slalom mountain bike, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t waste my money on it. It was heavy, the suspension didn’t really work, and the components didn’t seem like they would last long. To me, the bike was severely overhyped, with “influencers” and media folks alike knowing the name “Walmart” would get clicks.
But while the bikes seem to get the most attention, Ozark Trail also has a lineup of components, notably a dropper post that looked, well, surprisingly good. Would this be more “Walmart hype,” or does the Ozark Trail dropper post actually work?
Ozark Trail dropper key specs
- Diameter: 31.6mm
- Travel: 125mm
- Weight: 699g
- “Designed in collaboration with Kind Shock”
- Complete dropper kit
- Price: $84
- Buy from Walmart
“Designed in collaboration with Kind Shock”
The first thing that Walmart points out about the Ozark Trail dropper post is that it is “designed in collaboration with Kind Shock.” Kind Shock? What is Kind Shock?
You probably know Kind Shock, and maybe have even ridden some of their dropper posts or other products. I know I have ridden quite a few bikes with Kind Shock, or KS, dropper posts, as they are more commonly referred to.
In fact, I just went into the garage and found a bike with a KS dropper and lever on it — my son’s 24” Transition Ripcord. To be honest, I’ve gotten along with KS droppers quite well. They are a common OE dropper post, one of the ones that you’ll “surely upgrade” but never do.
That said, it doesn’t seem that KS just gave Walmart an unbranded dropper to slap “Ozark Trail” on. While a few droppers are relatively close, none in the current KS lineup seem to match the Ozark Trail dropper exactly — at least based on photos. However, the lever that came with the Ozark Trail dropper post seems to match the KS Westy 2.0 exactly.
The Ozark Trail dropper post looks like a standard OE post that would come on a more entry-level bike. It may not be the flashiest, but it typically works well for a few seasons.
Riding with the Ozark Trail dropper post
I’ve definitely been spoiled in recent years. I’m 5’8” tall, and almost exclusively ride size medium bikes. A handful of years ago, it seemed that all size medium bikes came with a 150mm dropper post. Fast forward to 2025 and 2026, and brands have started to spec bikes with longer droppers. The same size medium frames I’m riding now can have anywhere from 170mm to 200mm droppers!
The Ozark Trail dropper offers 125mm of travel. This is much shorter — 50mm to be exact — than the 175mm PNW Loam dropper I am currently using. And, in my opinion, a shorter dropper post is likely the most noticeable component swap you can make on a bike.
To be clear, my time pedaling with the Ozark Trail dropper was fine. It goes up and down, stays put, and while it has a bit of a scratchy actuation (maybe the specific one I have?), there were zero problems as far as droppers go. But that short length just doesn’t work.
On my bike, at least. To get the post high enough for pedaling and climbing, I basically needed it sitting at the “minimum insertion” line. That means a lot of post sticking out when it’s fully dropped, with the saddle sitting above my knees.
It wasn’t necessarily a deal breaker, but close. For someone who has never used a dropper post, this will be life-changing. For someone coming off a 175mm dropper, using a 125mm dropper will only lead to complaining about length.
Do comparisons outweigh limitations?
The Ozark Trail dropper post only comes in 125mm of travel — no more, no less. It also only fits bikes with a 31.6mm seatpost diameter — no other options. So, depending on your bike, the Ozark Trail dropper may not work for you.
It also weighs nearly 700g. Looking at a dropper post like the PNW Range, a 31.6mm diameter dropper with 125mm of travel weighs 586g. That is still relatively hefty, especially since 125mm dropper posts are usually specced on smaller, lighter bikes.
While the Ozark Trail dropper weighs over 100g more than the PNW Range, it costs half as much. Less than half the price, actually. The Range dropper is $169, but that is for the dropper post only. A “Range Dropper Bundle,” which comes with a lever, cable, housing, and everything needed, is $200. The Ozark Trail dropper is a complete kit (lever and everything needed), but for only $84.
Yes, the Ozark Trail dropper is limited by diameter and dropper travel, but if you are looking for a 31.6 dropper with 125mm of travel, you won’t find a better deal.
Finding the right bike for the Ozark Trail dropper
The Ozark Trail dropper doesn’t belong on the Taken Encounter enduro bike I’m currently testing. It likely doesn’t belong on any trail bikes I’ve recently been on either. Modern trends are pushing dropper posts longer and longer, and I’m not going to complain about that.
Shorter dropper posts are typically reserved for XC and gravel bikes, which the Ozark Trail would be a great option for. However, many of these bikes (especially gravel) have smaller diameter seat tubes. And if the Ozark Trail does fit, 700g might be a bit too much for an XC build.
That said, I could see this as a great way to add a dropper to an entry-level bike that doesn’t already have one. I think we would all agree that a dropper post completely changes a bike — I won’t ride a mountain bike without one. But for someone new to mountain biking, $200 is a steep ask.
For me, the Ozark Trail dropper fits perfectly on my daughter’s 20” Prevelo hardtail. While she currently doesn’t have enough heft (she is 7) to make it go down, she can put it up for climbs on her own, and I’d rather help her put it down than fiddle with a quick release.
Share your Walmart's $80 Ozark Trail dropper post does the job review
Pros and cons of the Ozark Trail dropper post
Pros
- Incredibly affordable
- KS pedigree
- Works as a dropper should
Cons
- No sizing options
- Heavy
- Only 125mm drop
Bottom line
For the right bike in the right situation, the Ozark Trail dropper post at $84 is hard to beat. In fact, Ozark Trail has a lineup of what look like pretty impressive components — grips that look very similar to Deity options, alloy pedals, and a saddle. We even reviewed a tailgate pad that had us pretty impressed. So while I’m not jumping on the Walmart bike bandwagon, I might be jumping on the Walmart component bandwagon.
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